The present invention relates generally to dry racks for axial flow dryers having rotating drums or baskets and, specifically, to a dry rack for directing airflow through the gridwork of the dry rack and then out through an exhaust opening.
Many dryers manufactured today are of the axial airflow type with a rotating basket or drum having an axis of rotation oriented perpendicularly to the front of the dryer and wherein articles such as clothing and the like are tumbled and tossed about while hot air is passed trough the basket or drum to dry the articles. These dryers have a doorway or a opening on a front face thereof for loading and unloading of the articles. A door hinged on the bottom or side, swings or flips to close and open the doorway or opening.
Axial flow dries obtain their designation due to the nature of the low of air within the drum or basket thereof. Air, usually heated, is first caused to enter the drum or basket of a dryer through a stationary or rotational back panel at one axial end of the drum or basket. The air is then caused to flow along the axis of the drum or basket past and through the articles to be dried. Finally, the air is caused to exit through an exhaust opening located on an edge of the doorway or opening of the dryer. Thus, the air can be said to flow axially through the dryer.
Many times it is desirable to dry articles without having them be tossed or tumbled. For example, sweaters or shirts made of delicate fabrics are laid out and allowed to dry flat. Additionally, other articles such as canvas tennis shoes, when placed in a rotating basket, tumble about causing loud banging noises and do not necessarily dry in the most efficient manner in a rotating basket or drum.
To take advantage of the faster drying of articles provided by dryers and yet to prevent damage caused by tumbling or tossing, dry racks have been provided for such dryers. The dry racks provide a flat surface upon which the articles may be placed and be subjected to heated airflow and yet not be tossed or tumbled about.
Generally, the dry racks include a gridwork panel which is positioned substantially horizontally within the rotating basket, one end of the dry rack being attached to or near the doorway or opening of the dryer (or both ends, also). Articles placed on the dry rack are subjected to heated airflow as the heated air flows axially through the basket or drum and out through an exhaust located either out the bottom of the opening or through a door covering the opening.
One problem associated with such dry racks is that they do not ensure that there is an adequate airflow directed past or through the articles located on the gridwork. The air may flow axially past or around the articles and out the exhaust without efficiently extracting moisture from the articles. Additionally, there is no assurance that the air will flow near where the articles are located.